Pep Guardiola calls for support as Man City face Newcastle in FA Cup quarter-finals
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Manchester City have won their last nine FA Cup matches with an aggregate of 31-3.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Pep Guardiola’s focus for this weekend is solely on the FA Cup, as his Manchester City side prepare to host Newcastle United in a quarter-final clash on March 16.
The treble winners head into the match following a thrilling 1-1 draw with fellow English Premier League title contenders Liverpool at Anfield last weekend.
It was a game that saw the final league showdown between Guardiola and his rival Jurgen Klopp, who is stepping down as Reds boss at the end of the season.
The result meant that City have 63 points, one fewer than leaders Arsenal and Liverpool’s tally, with 10 games remaining in the Premier League.
All that aside for now, Guardiola knows his attention must be on Newcastle as he seeks to retain the FA Cup.
“This season and previous ones since (Newcastle manager) Eddie Howe was there and the people from Saudi Arabia took over, it’s always been tight games and we don’t expect anything different,” said the City boss.
“We have an incredible chance at home with our people. We need in home games the support of our fans, like we had against Manchester United (they beat the Red Devils 3-1 at the Etihad earlier in March).
“I don’t remember that support and environment for a long time. Tomorrow isn’t an exception. We need it to reach the semi-final at Wembley again.”
The contrast between City and Newcastle in this competition could be significant.
Erling Haaland scored five goals as Guardiola’s men thrashed Luton Town 6-2 in the fifth round, while the Magpies needed a penalty shoot-out against Championship side Blackburn Rovers to advance.
City are unbeaten in 21 games in all competitions and look set to extend that run against Newcastle, whom they have beaten in 15 of their last 16 home encounters.
Guardiola would also have noted that his side are dominant in the FA Cup – since the start of last season, they have won their last nine matches with an aggregate score of 31-3.
It would be an upset if the seven-time winners do not become the first team in the competition’s history to reach a sixth consecutive semi-final.
City, however, suffered a fresh injury blow this week as it emerged that key playmaker Kevin de Bruyne has a slight groin problem. Guardiola has confirmed the Belgian is not fit.
Jack Grealish remains sidelined, although he is back in training, while goalkeeper Ederson will be back following the international break, after suffering a muscle injury when he fouled Darwin Nunez and conceded a penalty in the Liverpool match.
As for Newcastle, Howe could be without the likes of Anthony Gordon, Dan Burn, Harvey Barnes, Kieran Trippier, Nick Pope, Callum Wilson and Joelinton.
The Magpies suffered a 3-2 league defeat at Chelsea on March 11 – their 12th of the season, which is seven more than last campaign, when they finished fourth.
Howe’s men are 10th in the table and it has been 69 years since they last won major silverware, the 1955 FA Cup. Newcastle have also not reached the semi-finals of this competition since 2004-05.
“For me, they’ve got the best manager there has arguably ever been,” said Howe.
“But look at our games against them this season and how close they’ve been (the Magpies lost twice to City by one goal and won their other meeting by a similar margin).
“We haven’t been too far away and in those games we didn’t get the luck needed.
“It’s our aim (to return to Wembley). We’ve found a way to the quarter-finals and don’t want to waste this opportunity.”
